El Patio Spanish Language School

Did you know that more than half of the effort required to learn Spanish is in the study and use of verbs?

And did you know that verbs are a rough indication of your level? A quick way to check your level is to assess what you know about verb conjugations, and how well you can use them.

Did you ever have to memorise multiplication tables when you were young? 1 x 2 = 2, 2 x 2 = 4 … one times two is two, two times two is four, and so on. If so, as an adult, can you still recall them?

Learning verbs is no different: once you have memorised the verb conjugations, you can get down to the business of learning how and when to use the various tenses.

The courses at El Patio step their way through the various verbs tenses in a particular order. We spend the first few Elementary levels in the present tense, before introducing three past tenses. Even with so much time in the present tense, we still don't ever have enough class time to present a detailed overview of present tense conjugations. Here is your chance!

Enter the Verb Workshops ...

We've created five, unique 3-hour sessions to present these overviews, for various verb types and tenses. We show the conjugation patterns of regular verbs, and look for patterns within irregulars – even irregular verbs have patterns within their irregularity!

In the 'conjugation' Verb Workshops we look at the forms and in the 'uses' Verb Workshops, we practise how to use them. In Verb Workshop Subjunctive you see the conjugation of the present subjunctive and some key uses.

You can do a single one of 3 hours, or more than one. Discounts are available for booking multiple workshops!

Which Verb Workshop for my level?

Not sure of your level? Take the level test here.

Verb Workshop Dates

You can read more and enrol in any of these workshops using the links below. You can even enrol in several! Make sure you choose the 'multiple courses' option when enrolling.

Present (conjugation) Monday October 2, 6-9pm

Present (uses) Tuesday October 3, 6-9pm

Past (conjugation) Wednesday October 4, 6-9pm

Past (uses) Thursday October 5, 6-9pm

Subjunctive Monday October 2, 6-9pm

Or read about all the workshops below!

Verb Workshop - Present (conjugation)

Get your present tense sorted!

Present tense – the most common and the most important of all. Master this tense to create a good foundation
Fall in love with the patterns of 7 categories of present tense - starting with the endings, through the various irregular verbs (eg: stem-changing, changes in the first person, etc) to totally irregular verbs (not that many)
Refine your reflexive verbs and verbs like gustar
Do some listening and gap-filling practice, to help make them all feel familiar
Bask in your new-found, stress-free verb deployment in your Spanish sentences
Impress your classmates (and friends who understand) with your rapid, zero-time-lag conjugation
Read more about Verb Workshop: Present (conjugation)

Verb Workshop - Present (uses)

Get a bit more sophisticated in the present tense!

Expand your use of the present tense with some more complex verb combinations
Enjoy a quick and painless way to talk about the future – Voy a estudiar mucho (I'm going to study hard)
Relish saying what you have to do – tener que (a very useful excuse formula)
Bring to fruition descriptions of how you're in the process of doing something – the flowing present progressive
Become alert to the very first past tense (perfecto), to open up your range of conversation
Read more about Verb Workshop: Present (uses)

Verb Workshop - Past (conjugation)

Open up the past with some meaty tenses!

Take pleasure in possessing a detailed overview of the conjugations of the magnificent pretérito indefinido
Complement that with a practice regime by category – to help you feel comfortable with it
Revel in finding out the specific situations when the indefinido is used
Enjoy the tiny amount of time needed to get the form of the imperfecto – because it's so simple (with only 3 irregulars)
Likewise, take in the wonderful situations when the imperfecto is used
Read more about Verb Workshop: Past (conjugation)

Verb Workshops - Past (uses)

Sound elegant when using the Spanish past tenses

Decide which past tense to use – indefinido, imperfecto or perfecto
Assimilate and master how to use the precious indefinido and the scintillating imperfecto together – this is unique to Spanish
Refine and polish up your knowledge with exercises – you'll eventually get it!
Savour your new language, which will start to sparkle like that of an hispanohablante!
Read more about Verb Workshop: Past (uses)

Verb Workshops - Subjunctive

Start to hone your finer skills with the Subjunctive Mood

Spanish uses the subjunctive extensively, more than most other languages
Grab hold of the subjunctive and fine-tune your Spanish to take it to a sublime level
Did you know that: Comfort with the subjunctive form and the degree to which a second-language speaker attempts to avoid using it is a good way to gauge his or her fluency in the language?
So, take stock of the formation of the subjunctive
Comprehend the first few uses – expressing hopes, desires, feelings and reactions
Unlock the enigma of ¡ojalá!
Read more about Verb Workshop: Subjunctive

Not sure which course is right for your Spanish level? Test your Spanish level now!

Ready to start learning? Find a class and enrol now!

By Penelope Ray
August 20, 2023

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There's a Verb Workshop for You!